Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China/Nanking

NANKING.

ANKING borrows its interest to-day from the glories of the past and the promise of the future. Except as the centre of Government for the two river provinces of Kiangsu and Anhwei, the former of which contains Shanghai, the city is of little importance. It is disregarded by the merchant, and, owing to the vandalism of the Taeping rebels, has lost much of its charm for the antiquarian. Signs are not wanting, however, that the old and battered capital of the Mings is waking from its long sleep into vigorous life once again. As the terminal point of three railway lines, one of which is now in full running order, it seems destined to become a centre of considerable commercial activity in the near future.

HIS EXCELLENCY TUAN FANG,
Viceroy of the Liangkiang Provinces, Nanking.

Situated on the south bank of the Yangtsze, Nanking is about 45 miles above Chinkiang, and 205 from Shanghai. A walled city existed here some five or six centuries before the commencement of the Christian era, and, as its name—"Southern Capital"—suggests, it was for a long period the seat of the Imperial Government. As Peking is now the capital, this name is, of course, never used in official documents, Kiang Ning Fu, or Kin Ling—"the golden mound"—being substituted for it. From the river little can be seen of the city. The long grey walls which encircle it vary in height from 40 to 90 feet, and in thickness from 20 to 40 feet, and measure some 21 miles in circumference. They enclose, however, a great deal of barren and uncultivated land, the inhabited portion of the city, with its population of about 350,000, lying to the south and west. The terminus of the Shanghai–Nanking Railway is outside this wall, at Hsiakuan, a few minutes' walk from the most northerly gate, while the most southerly gate is ten miles distant. To the south of the city, just outside the wall, rise the many tall chimneys of the Powder Works and Arsenal, while within the wall near the west water gate is a mint with a plant capable of producing 2,000,000 copper coins a day. During recent years many wide and good roads have been constructed by order of the Viceroy, so that, in this respect, Nanking is far ahead of most Chinese cities. His Excellency Tuan Fang is one of the most progressive statesmen in China. He qualified for official life by passing the usual examinations, and, at the early age of twenty-eight received the rank of Substantial Taoutai. His promotion was rapid. In 1900 he was Governor of Shensi Province. Here his name is held in the highest respect because of his humane treatment of the foreigners during the Boxer riots. He had sufficient strength of character to ignore the decree containing their death sentence, and gathering them together to the number of about 80, he sent them out of the province under a strong escort. He became Governor of Soochow and, later, of Hunan, and was subsequently appointed one of the Imperial High Commissioners to travel abroad and study the methods of Constitutional Government in European countries. On his return he was made Viceroy of Foochow, but before he had time to proceed to his destination the viceroyalty of Nanking fell vacant, and he was requested to fill the position. Under his guidance and direction there has been considerable progress, and it may be taken as a sign of the times, and as an indication of the business which the railway is expected to bring, that of recent years considerable changes have been effected in the appearance of the city. The new Government Buildings are all constructed in accordance with Western ideas, and so, too, are an increasing number of shops. Carriages and rickshaws have been introduced, and, though there are no foreign merchants at the Port—the few Europeans residing in the district being missionaries, Customs and railway officials—British, American, and German Consulates were opened in 1900. The Viceroy is naturally surrounded by a large retinue of officials and soldiers, and the 9th Division of the foreign-drilled Army is stationed in the city. Amongst numerous educational establishments is a naval college established in 1890, with two British officers as instructors, and a University founded in 1888 by the Central China Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Altogether there are some 200 missionaries in and around Nanking engaged in educational and medical work.

As has been stated, Nanking suffered severely in the Taeping rebellion. It was captured by the rebels in 1853, and, after a prolonged siege, was retaken by the Imperial Forces in 1864. The intervening period was one of almost wanton destruction. Not only did the trade of the city receive a shock from which it has never recovered, but practically all the outstanding features of interest in the neighbourhood were destroyed. The beautiful Porcelain Pagoda, one of the most artistic structures in the whole of China and counted one of the seven wonders of the world, was razed to the ground. Only traces of the foundations mark the spot where it stood outside the south gate, and the bricks used in its construction arc scattered throughout the length and breadth of the Empire, being highly prized as relics by the Chinese. Several of the ornamental parts of the structure are built in the terraces just within the entrance

OFFICIAL LIFE AT NANKING.
The Viceroy and the Boys and Girls of the School founded by him at Nanking.The Viceroy Entertaining Official Friends at the Yamen.
The Viceroy, Officials, and Guests on the Occasion of the Emperor's Birthday.Taoutai Uk Cheng and Foreign Office Staff.

to the Arsenal, while the large bronze top of the pagoda has been inverted to serve as the basin of a fountain in front of this building. The chief attraction of Nanking now is the tomb of Hung Wo, founder of the Ming dynasty. This is about 10 miles distant from the station, and lies outside the east gate of the city. A carriage road runs to within two miles of the spot, and is being continued for the remainder of the distance over hilly country from which may be obtained a fine panoramic view of the surrounding district and a general idea of the extent of the city boundaries. The monoliths, which were erected in front of the tomb by Yung-ho when he removed the capital to Peking, fill the spectator with wonder as to how they were placed in position. Some two or three miles beyond the Ming tomb is a spirit valley where lie the remains of the famous Buddhist priest who was a Prime Minister of the Liang dynasty. On the way to the Ming tomb are the old Imperial and Forbidden Cities, in which only one building remains standing. This is constructed with timbers, and the roof is supported by arches. It was called the Leang Kung, or Cold Palace, and is now used as a store-house for powder and ammunition. Within the Forbidden City, and enclosed in a pavilion that stands just across the Five Dragon Bridges, is a carefully preserved stone bearing the bloodstains of a faithful minister of the Ming dynasty who allowed his tongue to be torn out rather than betray his Emperor. The Drum Tower, a building dating back to the Ming dynasty, is situated about five miles from the station on the return journey from the Ming tomb by the main carriage road, while but a short distance away to the left is a pavilion containing one of the great bells of the world. Cast during the reign of Hung Wo, it is made of bronze, stands some 14 feet high, and is about 7 feet in diameter at the bottom. About two miles away, on the road which runs to the right, is a Confucian temple, which is reputed to be one of the best in the Empire. Another feature of Nanking is the great City park. It is still undeveloped except for a fine carriage drive round it, but it is said that the Viceroy intends to proceed with its improvement very shortly.

THE MING TOMBS AT NANKING.

But few words are needed to deal adequately with the trade of Nanking at the present day, for, with the exception of the shipping interest, it is a negligible quantity. In 1906 its net value was Tls. 9,668,934; in 1905, Tls. 10,573,545; in 1904, Tls. 8,826,048; and in 1903, Tls. 7,352,525. The silk piece-goods trade, which is carried on in the most primitive fashion, forms the chief item of commerce. But there are brighter prospects for the future, and the predictions made by the Commissioner of Customs in his report for 1900 seem likely to be realised. He said: "A new and brilliant era should dawn upon the port of Nanking on account of its excellent position as a terminus for the railways which will bring down the immense mineral wealth and other wealth of the provinces of Anhwei, Honan, and Shansi. The distance from either Honan or Shansi is about the same to Nanking as to Hankow,

TAOUTAI WAN BING CHUNG,
Vice-Director of the Foreign Office of the Liangkiang Provinces, Nanking.

and the engineering difficulties of a railway down to the river opposite Nanking are no greater than those of a line to Hankow. The great advantage, then, which should secure to Nanking its position as the outlet for these rich provinces is the fact of its being so much nearer the sea than Hankow, and accessible to the deepest draught ocean vessels at all seasons of the year. It is, therefore, only natural that a line should have been projected from the mineral fields of Shansi to the village of Pukow on the other side of the river to Nanking, as mentioned in the 1899 Trade Report. Yet another line, from the mineral district of Hsin-Yan, in Honan, through Anhwei, with its terminus at Pukow, is also in contemplation. These two lines, if built, should revolutionise the commercial conditions at Nanking, while the line from Shanghai to Nanking should also give an impetus to commercial life." Trains are running regularly now from Shanghai to Nanking, and the line is to be carried through the city to the water-side. A line connecting Nanking with Tientsin is also about to be constructed.

 

 

HAROLD F. KING,
His Britannic Majesty's Consul at Nanking.

 

THE BRITISH CONSUL.

 

Mr. Harold Frederick King, the British Consul at Nanking, is a brother of Mr. G. W. King, the Registrar of the Supreme Court, Shanghai. Born on December 30, 1871, at Brighton, Sussex, he was educated at Brighton Grammar School and appointed a Student Interpreter in China on August 24, 1891. After devoting two years to the study of the Chinese language in Peking, he served for some time, during the China-Japan War, under Sir Walter Hillier, the Consul-General, at Seoul, Korea. He was appointed Acting-Consul at Wuhu in 1894. He became a second-class assistant three years later, and a first-class assistant in 1900. The various positions he has filled since that time include those of Acting Vice-Consul at Shanghai, Acting-Consul at Hangchow, Acting Registrar and Chief Clerk of the Supreme Court, Shanghai, Assistant in the Consular Shipping Office, Shanghai, Acting Assistant Judge at Shanghai, and Acting Vice-Consul at Tientsin. On May 5, 1904, he was confirmed in this last appointment. In 1906 he became Consul at Wuchow, and in May, 1908, was transferred to Nanking. Mr. King was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple in 1905. He is a member of the Grosvenor Club, London.

 

 

GENERAL SHO.

 

General C. A. Sho is the Chief of the General Staff of Liangkiang. He has travelled in America and on the Continent with His Excellency Tuan Fang, the Viceroy of Liangkiang, to investigate the political systems of different countries.

 

GENERAL C. A. SHO, NANKING.

 

 

MR. E. HALL.

 

Mr. Ernest Hall, chief accountant of the Southern section of the Tientsin-Pukow Railway Line, received that appointment in August, 1908, after having spent five years in the employment of the Shanghai-Nanking Railway Company as assistant accountant. Mr. Hall is a son of Mr. Charles Shaw Hall, and was born on February 22, 1883, at Romily, in Cheshire. He was educated at the Technical Schools, Stockport, and before coming to the East was for four years in the accountants' office of the Great Central Railway. He is a member of the Shanghai Club.

 

E. HALL.
Tientsin-Pukow Railway, South.

 

 

MR. T. K. TSIANG.

 

Mr. T. K. Tsiang, also known as Tsiang Tsang Kway, compradore to the Shanghai-Nanking Railway, is a son of the late Mr. Tsiang Kwang, a former well-known merchant of Shanghai. Having received his education at St. John's College, he spent a year in a solicitor's office, and then entered upon the duties of his present appointment. Mr. Tsiang, who is twenty-seven years of age, is married, and has one son and two daughters. He is a member of the Chinese Young Men's Christian Association.

 

 

A. DIESING & CO.'S HOTEL.

 

This hotel was opened in 1904 in anticipation of the need for a foreign hotel that would follow upon the completion of the Shanghai-Nanking Railway. It is situated on the Maloo, five minutes' ride from the harbour and railway station, and close to the city wall. It contains altogether eight bedrooms, public and private dining rooms, and a billiard room, but, as the present accommodation is insufficient, the proprietor has leased the house adjoining, and has under consideration a scheme for the erection of a new three-storey building. The proprietor, Mr. A. Diesing, is a native of Prussia. He came to the Far East in 1891, and was engaged for two years trading along the coasts of China, Korea, and Japan. For the next five years Mr. Diesing was employed by a firm of exporters dealing in Japanese curios, straw-braids, silk, and raw produce. He then became assistant manager of the Nagasaki Hotel, and in 1904, after spending some time in Shanghai, he came to Nanking and started business under the style of Messrs. A. Diesing & Co.